PLAINFIELD, Ill. (WLS) — Community members in a southwest suburb honored a young Muslim boy who was killed in a hate crime stabbing attack in 2023.

A monument was dedicated to Wadee Alfayoumi, who was just 6 years old when the deadly attack happened in unincorporated Plainfield.

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Authorities said Joseph Czuba killed Alfayoumi and badly injured the child’s mother in the room they were renting from him in October 2023.

Prosecutors said Czuba stabbed Alfayoumi more than 24 times and called the boy’s mother a “devil Muslim” while he attacked them.

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Saturday morning, a statue of Alfayoumi was unveiled at Van Horn Woods East Park, a place where the little boy used to play at.

The silhouette of Alfayoumi shows his hand cupped to complete the shape of a heart. The playground is now dedicated in his honor.

The boy’s father said he is forever grateful for the support and thanked the community.

“Wadee loved to play with Legos, loved Ms. Rachel, he loved his friend and family,” CAIR Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab said. “He was a young, innocent human being who knew little about what was going on in the world of politics and wars, and yet he was targeted simply because he was Palestinian and Muslim.”

During the difficult time, the community has continued to rally around the family to show that love is stronger than hate.

“Every kid is unique, and that doesn’t mean anything… it just means we can all play together and everybody is the same,” Alfayoumi’s former teacher Trisha Mathias said. “We need to celebrate those differences and everyone can get along in the world.”

During the trial for Alfayoumi’s murder, prosecutors argued that Czuba had become radicalized and violent after watching commentary about the war in Gaza.

A jury convicted Czuba in February of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and hate crimes.

A judge sentenced him to 53 years in prison.

The case garnered national attention, and even former President Joe Biden spoke out.

READ MORE | Mother of Plainfield boy stabbed to death in alleged hate crime meets with President Biden